Refractory bricks



April 3, 1963 N. w. ROUDABUSH 3,086,330

REFRACTORY BRICKS Original Filed Oct. 28, 1959 INVENTOR- NED W.ROUDABUSH United States 3,086,330 REFRACTURY BRICKS Ned W. Roudabush,Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to H. K.

Porter Company, Inc, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of DelawareContinuation of application Ser. No. 849,283, Get. 23, 1959 Thisapplication June 19, E62, Ser. No. 205,482 2 Claims. (Cl. Eff-695) beenresorted to as a temporary measure to in effect reinforce the thinremnant. For example, in a roof con struction it is common practice toin effect dump or scatter loose refractory material over the back orcold side of the roof to alleviate the rapidly deteriorating condition.In some instances also, the roof bricks have large plates arranged atpredetermined locations thereamong and which have projecting finsextended upwardly beyond the plane of the cold face of the roof. Thesefin parts serve as radiators which conduct heat out of the roof and intothe ambient atmosphere thereby tending to prolong the life of the roofbricks.

The same remnant condition is particularly acute at the side and endwalls of a metallurgical or like furnace inasmuch as it is extremelydifficult to be able to reinforce the remnant sections. This is sobecause any endeavor to add refractory packing such as used for the roofin the above-described manner must take into account the fact thatgravity will tend to displace this material at the side and end Walls.It has also heretofore I been proposed to utilize horizontal spacerplates positioned at predetermined levels in the vertical extents of'the bricks at the side and end walls of the furnace. These plates alsohave projecting fin ends which can be viewed as constituting shelves,and these shelves have been utilized as supports for refractory packingintended to reinforce the remnant state at the side or end wall. Thesesame fins have had so-called tapping bars secured thereto, and thetapping bars are joined to the vertical I-beams or so-called buck stayswhich are the main furnace side supports. This arrangement includingtapping bars joined to buck stays accounts for stability of the side andend walls of the furnace, and the fins also are radiators as in theinstance described above in connection with roof fins.

The arrangement of the present invention in contrast to the foregoing issuch that each brick for a side or end wall is clad in a metallic casingof over-sized dimension compared to the sides of the brick. This resultsin a metallic pocket or channel at the cold end of the brick whichenables reinforcing refractories to be tightly compacted stably in largequantities therein and effectively anchored or reinforced againstshifting or loss by the walls which afford the pocket or channelextension. In other words, the arrangement of the present invention isone wherein each individual brick in effect is bucked up at its cold endbehind the remnant or flake hot end. The present construction willaccount for a greater degree of radiation in comparison to the Widelyspaced plates as heretofore used, since each brick in effect has aplurality of heat radiating fins or cars. Moreover, the casing Wallextensions are provided with exposed openings, and these enable thebricks to be conveniently anchored to ties in turn anchored to the buckstays in one way or another at the side and end walls of the furnace.The present invention is particularly use ful in side and end wallconstructions, because it makes possible the elimination of the need forindividually located plates as aforesaid, and the numerous pocketsafforded in accordance with the present invention will account for ahoneycomb effect at the cold faces of the furnace side and end wallsenabling more effective packing to be achieved. The honeycomb effectalso results in a greatly stabilized condition when the refractorymaterial has reached a flake or remnant state over a wide and expansivearea where heretofore there has been a virtual collapse or falling in ofwide sheets of remnants. This application is a continuation ofapplication Serial No. 849,283, filed October 28, 1959'.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferredembodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof and whatis now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying theseprinciples. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same orequivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made asdesired by those skilled in the art without departing from the presentinvention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a side wall ofa furnace constructed from bricks in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the conditionat the cold ends of the bricks after the same have been backed by looserefractory material in accordance with the present invention.

7 FIG. 1 of the drawings shows in perspective a portion of a side or endwall of an open hearth furnace constructed with bricks in accordancewith the present invention, each such brick 10 being of identicalconstruction throughout although the disposition when laid can vary aswill be evident in FIG. 1. As is well known in the art, the side wallconstruction of such a furnace includes vertically oriented I-beams orso-called buck stays B, and these are used in accordance with thepresent invention to stabilize the bricks as will be explainedhereinafter.

Each brick It includes a core 11 of basic refractory material, and eachcore is encased in a sixteen or twenty gauge plain carbon steel sleeveor casing 12. having four sides folded about the four side of therelated refractory core. However, the ferrous metal casing is of greaterlength than the length of the core so as to afford open pockets P at thecold end of each brick. Advantageously, the sleeves are coated withaluminum as a guard against excessive oxidation.

The ferrous metal sleeve encasing each refractory core is a one-piecemember having a pair of parallel equidiinensioned broad sides 13 and alike pair of narrow sides 14, and at each corner fold the metallicsleeve is formed with a plurality of elongated slits 15 so as tofacilitate bending and folding of the casing about the relatedrefractory core. The provision of such slits also enables the casing tobe folded effectively into tight contact with the core even though theremay be minor variations in dimension from one refractory core to thenext as can be expected from the molding of such refractory cores. Theabutting edges of a casing can be stapled or spot welded or otherwisesecured together to complete the assembly.

In accordance with the present invention, one end of the metallic casingis substantially co-terminal with what will constitute the hot end ofthe brick, that is, the end 165, FIG. 1, which will face inwardly of thefurnace area, while on the other hand the opposite or cold end of thecasing is of such length as to extend well beyond the outer or cold endof the core. Thus, each sleeve 12 at what constitutes the cold end has aplurality of integral extensions or cars El, E2, E3 and E4- defining thepockets P, and opposed ones of the ears as E1 and E3 are provided withopenings 18 for a purpose to be explained.

The bricks are laid in accordance with standard practices to afford theside wall of the furnace as typically shown in FIG. 1 and in such amanner that the open pockets P afforded by the extended ears describedabove face to the outside.

One feature of the present invention is that the side or end wallconstruction thus afforded can be effectively stabilized by associatingstabilized hook elements with the openings 18. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1,a tapping bar or tube 20 is anchored to an adjacent buck stay 11. Thesebars extend for the full length of the wall, and in actual practice willbe located at strategic elevations so as to enable unitary stabilizersor fasteners in the form of hook elements 21 to be anchored thereto atpoints corresponding to every vertical row of bricks. Each fastener isused to anchor three bricks. Thus, each member 21 has a pair of bentends 2115, and each of these is inserted into the aligned openings 18 ofa pair of bricks as shown in FIG. 1, and these ends are then twisted orotherwise secured in place to anchor and stabilize the three relatedbricks.

After prolonged use of a furnace of the kind under consideration, thehot ends of the bricks are found to be severely deteriorated as shown inFIG. 2, and eventually reach a state Where large sections spall off andfall into the furnace cavity. In accordance with the present invention,the bricks are in effect revived for further extended use by blowing orotherwise filling the pockets P mentioned above with supplementalrefractory material SRM as shown in FIG. 2, thereby contributing furtherto the life of the furnace. I prefer to have the ears or fins E projectat least about five percent beyond the cold end of the core, measured interms of the over-all length of the refractory core. Thus, for a 3 x 3 x9 so-called straight brick, the ears as E1 and so on are 1% long, andthis same amount of projection can be used for a 3 x 3 X 18 straightbrick. It will be realized that the ears as E1 and so on afford a greatdeal of heat radiating capacity tending to prevent that muchover-heating of the refractory cores. Further, the four-sided pockets Ppresent a honeycomb effect assuring firm anchorage of the supplementalrefractory material SRM.

It will be seen from the foregoing that under the pres ent inventionmetallic encased bricks are afforded for metallurgical and likefurnaces, and the casings are so constructed as to have fins or carsserving to back up and reinforce loose refractory material that is to beadded to the bricks at a late stage of furnace operation wherein the hotends of the bricks have been deteriorated and worn away. The aforesaidfins are provided with openings enabling each brick to be effectivelystabilized when used in a side or end wall of the furnace.

It will also be realized from the foregoing that the metallic casingembraces selected sides of the refractory core so that extensions orfins at the cold ends of the bricks, free of the refractory brick core,are so arranged in the initial wall construction as to cooperate onewith another to define the desired cubical spaces bounded on four sidesby four such fins or ear-like extensions which serve to stabilize andsupport the supplemental refractory SRM when it is added.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it is to be understood that this is capable ofvariation and modification, and I therefore do not Wish to be limited tothe precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchchanges and alterations as fall Within the purview of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A side wall construction for a metallurgical or like furnace andcomprising rows of elongated bricks each having a core of refractorymaterial, each such core being of generally uniform rectangular crosssection throughout its length and having substantially flat sides andend faces, each such brick having a four-sided metallic casing extendedabout the four sides thereof and extending from one end face of therelated core to well beyond the opposite face to thereby afford fourfin-like extensions of the casing in each brick projecting well beyondsaid opposite end face of the related refractory core, an opposed pairof said extensions in each brick having openings therein, said bricksbeing laid one atop another and one aside another in generallyhorizontal attitudes in the side wall of the furnace with said casingfins disposed outermost in the side wall and aligned one with another toafiord a honeycomb network of open-ended pockets at the outerside of thefurnace side Wall adapted to receive and hold supplementary refractorymaterial packed into the honeycomb at a stage of furnace operation wherethe inner ends of the bricks have been substantially eroded, saidopenings in the casing fins of adjacent bricks being aligned andregistered one with another, said wall construction including at theouter side thereof horizontally spaced apart vertically disposedbuck-stay columns, horizontal bars supponted at their ends by andextended between said columns and disposed outward of the fin ends ofsaid bricks, and unitary Wire-like fasteners anchored to said horizontalbars and having bent free ends entered in and hooked into said alignedopenings in the brick fins to anchor and stabilize a plurality of thebricks.

2. A vertical wall construction for a metallurgical or like furnace andcomprising rows of elongated bricks each having a core of refractorymaterial, each such core being of generally uniform rectangularcross-section throughout its length and having substantially flat sidesand end faces, each such brick having a metallic casing extended aboutselected sides thereof and extending from one end face of the relatedcore to well beyond the opposite face to thereby afford fin-likeextensions of the casing in each brick projecting well beyond saidopposite end face of the related refractory core, an opposed pair ofsaid extensions having openings therein, said bricks being laid one atopanother and one aside another in generally horizontal attitudes in theside wall of the furnace with said casing fins disposed outermost in theside wall and aligned one with another to afford a honeycomb network ofopen-ended four-sided metal pockets at the outer side of the furnaceside wall adapted to receive and hold supplementary refractory materialpacked into the honeycomb at a stage of furnace operation where theinner ends of the bricks have been substantially aosasso 5 eroded, saidopenings in the casing fins of adjacent bricks being aligned andregistered one with another, said wall construction including at theouter side thereof horizontally spaced apart vertically disposedbuck-stay coluinns, horizontal bars supported at their ends by andextended between said columns and disposed outward of the fin ends ofsaid bricks, and unitary wire-like fasteners anchored to said horizontalbars and having free ends entered in and hooked into said alignedopenings in the brick fins to anchor and stabilize a plurality of thebricks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BeallApr. 19, Morlock May 16, Stewart Jan. 16, Heuer Feb. 12, Reintjes Mar.8,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 14-,

2. A VERTICAL WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR A METALLURGICAL OR LIKE FURNACE ANDCOMPRISING ROWS OF ELONGATED BRICKS EACH HAVING A CORE OF REFRACTORYMATERIAL, EACH SUCH CORE BEING OF GENERALLY UNIFORM RECTANGULARCROSS-SECTION THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SIDESAND END FACES, EACH SUCH BRICK HAVING A METALLIC CASING EXTENDED ABOUTSELECTED SIDES THEREOF AND EXTENDING FROM ONE END FACE OF THE RELATEDCORE TO WELL BEYOND THE OPPOSITE FACE TO THEREBY AFFORD FIN-LIKEEXTENSIONS OF THE CASING IN EACH BRICK PROJECTING WELL BEYOND SAIDOPPOSITE END FACE OF THE RELATED REFRACTORY CORE, AN OPPOSED PAIR OFSAID EXTENSIONS HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN, SAID BRICKS BEING LAID ONE ATOPANOTHER AND ONE ASIDE ANOTHER IN GENERALLY HORIZONTAL ATTITUDES IN THESIDE WALL OF THE FURNACE WITH SAID CASING FINS DISPOSED OUTERMOST IN THESIDE WALL AND ALIGNED ONE WITH ANOTHER TO AFFORD A HONEYCOMB NETWORK OFOPEN-ENDED FOUR-SIDED METAL POCKETS AT THE OUTER SIDE OF THE FURNACESIDE WALL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND HOLD SUPPLEMENTARY REFRACTORY MATERIALPACKED INTO THE HONEYCOMB AT A STAGE OF FURNACE OPERATION WHERE THEINNER ENDS OF THE BRICKS HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY ERODED, SAID OPENINGSIN THE CASING FINS OF ADJACENT BRICKS BEING ALIGNED AND REGISTERED ONEWITH ANOTHER, SAID WALL CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING AT THE OUTER SIDE THEREOFHORIZONTALLY SPACED APART VERTICALLY DISPOSED BUCK-STAY COLUMNS,HORIZONTAL BARS SUPPORTED AT THEIR ENDS BY AND EXTENDED BETWEEN SAIDCOLUMNS AND DISPOSED OUTWARD OF THE FIN ENDS OF SAID BRICKS, AND UNITARYWIRE-LIKE FASTENERS ANCHORED TO SAID HORIZONTAL BARS AND HAVING FREEENDS ENTERED IN AND HOOKED INTO SAID ALIGNED OPENINGS IN THE BRICK FINSTO ANCHOR AND STABILIZE A PLURALITY OF THE BRICKS.